-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Evan Lysacek became a household name in February when he won the Olympic gold medal in men 's figure skating .

Since his rise to fame , he has made it a point to get involved with charitable work . He currently works with Help USA , a nonprofit organization that provides housing and support services so the homeless and other people in need can become self-sufficient .

Lysacek , a supporter of CNN Heroes , recently spoke to CNN producer Megan Clifford about the Heroes campaign and his humanitarian work . Below are excerpts from that interview .

Megan Clifford : Why did you decide to get involved with Help USA ?

Evan Lysacek : Well , I 've always looked up to -- in my lifetime and in my career -- athletes and people who are strong members of the community . As I 've gained a little bit of success , I thought the most important thing to do , first and foremost , was to give back and help out .

Homelessness can happen to anyone within the blink of an eye . Job loss is so prevalent in the country today with the state of our economy ... a lot of people have become homeless or jobless very quickly , and they did not see it coming .

Help USA is the largest homeless advocate in the country . Knowing their reputation , I wanted to get involved immediately and asked how . They said , `` Come on down , we 'll film a public service announcement . ''

Clifford : What exactly does Help USA do ?

Lysacek : Help USA helps -LSB- its -RSB- clients by teaching the skills that they 're going to need to go out and reclaim their lives ... life skills , education , job placement and training , child care , as well as counseling . They provide a variety of services at their residences to help their clients get their lives back on track .

Clifford : How has your work with Help USA affected you ?

Lysacek : It 's inspired me more than I could have imagined . I thought I would be signing on to teach and give as much as I could ... but in turn , they 've taught me so much about working and remaining positive with the circumstances that you 're dealt .

As gratifying as it was for me to work my entire life for my Olympic dream and somehow , someway achieve it in Vancouver by winning gold , I get so much more appreciation and I feel so much more heart when I can help more than one person . As memories of competitions , of medals and podiums , fade away , there are pictures that are embedded in my head with families in need that will really stick with me for the rest of my life .

Clifford : You 're a sports hero to many people . What is a hero to you ?

Lysacek : A hero to me is a person that leads by example , and they do n't always take the easy road . Sometimes , they 're the only one on a certain path , but they always do what they think is right and they 're positive members of their community .

Clifford : Why did you get involved with CNN Heroes ?

Lysacek : CNN Heroes honors everyday people who 've given extraordinary things to their communities . It inspires everyone to get up , go out and do something -- take a stand for what you believe in , team up with an organization you really care about , help someone in need . That 's something everyone in this world could learn from -- seeing a positive force within their community .

It 's sometimes difficult to comprehend how you can possibly make a difference , but when it 's right there in front of your eyes through a program like CNN Heroes , it 's easy to believe that you truly can . And that 's why I feel like this is so important .

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Olympic champion Evan Lysacek supports Help USA , the nation 's largest homeless advocate

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Help USA provides housing and support services so people can get back on their feet

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Lysacek : Help USA experience has `` taught me so much about working and remaining positive ''